Spacers may be attached to hoses or pipelines, and serve to protect the hoses or pipelines from damage or insulate them from vibration. When the hoses or pipelines are installed in mobile apparatuses such as motor vehicles for example, they are exposed to increased vibration. In such a context, the spacers may prevent the hoses or pipelines from rubbing against other components of the mobile apparatus, such as engine components, and thus becoming worn prematurely.
Such a spacer is known from document EP 1 099 899 A1. The known spacer comprises a hose made of rubber or plastic, the inner wall of which is furnished with ribs or pimples and which has a slit in the lengthwise direction thereof. The slit enables the spacer to be drawn over an installed hose or pipeline. In order to lock the spacer, it has a recess on one side of the slit, and a barb conformed to match the recess on the other side of the slit. This enables the spacer to be locked in place on the hose or pipeline after said hose or pipeline has been installed.